Names such as Donovan Clingan and Zach Edey resonate in the minds of college basketball fans.
For the past couple of seasons, the seven-footers were stars in the making at their respective schools. Now the spotlight has turned, as both have gone to the NBA after last season and are off to great rookie starts. The new name making his way into the spotlight is Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, whose impact and play were sometimes overshadowed by these and other players in the nation. It’s Kalkbrenner time now and he is the marquee star of college big men. He started his season off carrying No. 15 Creighton to a 99-86 win over UT Rio Grande Valley, who put up a solid fight against the superior Creighton. Kalkbrenner scored a staggering 49 points in the opener and only missed two shots while grabbing 11 boards and adding a block to his night. The big man will need to continue to have this type of impact if he wants his draft stock to rise and lead Creighton deep into the tournament this season.
Seniors are the backbone of college basketball.
Another senior making waves down south is Walter Clayton Jr. of the Florida Gators. The guard balled out in game number one as the main option for the team from Gainesville. He scored 29 points against USF in 34 minutes of play. He also added a block and a steal to accompany his point total. Clayton Jr. is an all-around player and should be a name to watch in March, granted the Gators should get there. This program will go as far as this young man takes them.
The fresh meat on campus, some thrive being the new kid, and others fail.
Someone who thrived in his first college basketball game was Jayden Quaintance from Arizona St. The 6-foot-9 forward matched up versus Idaho St. in game one of his collegiate career, posting a Dennis Rodman-type stat line. The freshman finished the game with a staggering six blocks and two steals to go along with a bucket and a couple of rebounds. Quaintance is the real deal defensively, and if he can become more consistent on offense, he will be a player team’s fear on both sides of the ball.
The Maryland Terrapins have found themselves a gem of a player.
Freshman Derik Queen out of Baltimore is a pure player who can flat-out play. He played out of his mind in game one versus Manhattan, posting a stat line most can only dream of. Queen had 22 points while also grabbing 20 rebounds in the contest with a block leading his team to a big first win. He was the team’s best player by far in game one, and he could prove to be a one-and-done if this continues. Granted, the competition will get more challenging, but weighing in at almost 250 pounds should help the star-studded freshman. He will be a force for the Terrapins, and they need to keep feeding the ball inside to him.
The Golden Key to Another Natty?
The new kid on the block in Storrs might be the key to the three-peat. Freshman Liam McNeeley had his highly anticipated debut for the reigning national champion UConn Huskies versus Sacred Heart. McNeeley was ready from the jump, delivering some key early buckets to put the Huskies up early. His three-point shot was there, shooting at a 50% clip. The forward finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Huskies and provided a significant scoring boost for the team as they lost numerous players to the NBA last season. While it’s early, McNeeley’s game has meshed in Dan Hurley’s system perfectly, and he seems primed to be at the center of it all as the Huskies chase three in a row.